OBITUARY

Nibs White, a longtime Balboa Island resident died of a staph

infection Monday. He was 84.

Born in Pasadena in 1914, Mr. White moved to Balboa Island in 1963

with his wife, Barbara, who survives him.

In the early days Mr. White, his wife and friends developed the

Marionette Show, a popular show for children in the 1940s and ‘50s. The

show, called “Cyclone Malone,” ran nightly on NBC and was nominated for

an Emmy Award at the second annual awards dinner in 1950, Mrs. White said.

“He had multiple talents,” she added. “He was a wonderful man with a

wonderful sense of humor.”

Mr. White attended the University of Redlands and earned his degree

from USC in business. He later received his MBA from Pepperdine

University.

In college, he was part of the KHJ radio station where he sung

ballots. He also sang solos for the Newport Center United Methodist

Church, where he was a member for more than 20 years and at the Los

Angeles Civic Light Opera, said his daughter, Jean Abell of Santa Rosa.

Applying his expertise in business administration, Mr. White worked

for the Lockheed Aircraft Corp. in Marietta, Ga. There he was in charge

of the business computer systems. He also worked for Ernst & Ernst as a

computer consultant.

He was also once chosen as the grand marshal of the Balboa Island

Parade.

Mr. White’s legacy will live on through the books he wrote. After

living in Balboa Island for 35 years, he came up with the idea to write

“Once Upon an Island.” The 30-page book contains pictures of old boats

and short excerpts about the history of Balboa Island, including the

Tournament of Lights.

Other books he wrote include “Understanding Computers” and “On the

Fringes of Show Business.”

Besides writing books in his spare time, Mr. White enjoyed dining at

the Five Crowns restaurant in Corona del Mar and loved to sail.

“We sailed on the offshore islands of Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara,”

Mrs. White said.

She added that she and her husband traveled extensively. They visited

France, Australia, England and Ireland. Last summer they took a trip to

British Columbia.

White’s daughter said she will always remember her fascinating father,

who was interesting to talk to and always asked questions.

“[My dad] was interested in everybody,” she said. “All of our friends

wished they had our parents as their parents.”

Mr. White is also survived by Abell’s husband, his daughter Kathy

White of Evanston Ill., her husband and five grandchildren.

“I admired that [my dad] was totally nonjudgmental,” Kathy White said.

“He embraced people from all ages, races and backgrounds. He kept

everyone upbeat.”